New York's Police Department has taken an interest in Apple's iPhone 5, but not for their own use.

The Gothamist reported today that while cops were stationed at New York Apple stores today to keep the crowds calm, they were also on duty registering new iPhones.

The "Anti-Apple Picking Campaign" allows customers to register their device with local Apple stores and other locations around the city as part of the police department's larger "Operation ID" program.

"The theft of Apple phones and other hand-held devices drove the spike in robberies and larceny this year," Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said in a statement to The Gothamist. "Individuals alert to their surroundings are less likely to become victims, and Operation ID will help those whose property is lost or stolen to get it back."

Officers use iCloud to help victims find lost or stolen phones, and encourage all iPhone users to activate the Find My iPhone feature on their devices.

During today's iPhone 5 launch, the NYPD spent time at the all Apple Stores, as well as certain Verizon and AT&T locations.

"Operation ID" reaches beyond just the iPhone, allowing people to register the serial number of any valuable portable electronics. Along with the owner's name and contact information, participants can have items engraved with a uniquely identifiable serial number prefaced with the letters "N.Y.C."

In its program enrollment information, the NYPD cites a survey that reported Americans lost $30 billion worth of cell phones last year. In the early hours of Japan's iPhone 5 release, thieves ran off with 191 phones awaiting customers at three different Apple retailers.

About the Author

Stephanie began as a PCMag reporter in May 2012. She moved to New York City from Frederick, Md., where she worked for four years as a multimedia reporter at the second-largest daily newspaper in Maryland. She interned at Baltimore magazine and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (in the town of Indiana, in the state of Pennsylvania) w... See Full Bio

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